Office of Environment and Heritage National Parks and Wildlife Service Industrial bulletin No:3

Office of Environment and Heritage & National Parks and Wildlife Services Industrial bulletin No 3 – May 2016 (PDF version)

Sustainability meeting #3

On Wednesday, 13 April 2016, the PSA attended the third sustainability meeting this year with OEH representatives. The primary item on the agenda was the NPWS Award and NPWS Award Log of Claims issued on 10 March 2016.

NPWS are looking at removing degree qualifications and Ranger classifications

NPWS are considering changes to rostering practices to ensure the most cost-effective payment method for staff working on weekends (17 percent, 8.5 percent and OT).

The 2009 Saving Implementation Plan (SIP) agreement recommended NPWS form regional committees in conjunction with the PSA, to look at the operational needs and requirements of each region to explore where possible savings and efficiencies can be made.

PSA response to the log of claims

The PSA currently opposes the removal of degree qualification until a detailed proposal is provided for consultation.

The PSA Assistant General Secretary, Steve Turner attended the meeting. He articulated the Union’s negotiating position on NPWS Log of Claims by saying the PSA will not consent to amending or change the NPWS Award without OEH and NPWS first engaging with the Union and implement the key recommendations agreed to in the 2009 SIP agreement.

To date, NPWS has failed to comply with this SIP recommendation. Steve Turner stated it was disappointing that seven years have passed without NPWS implementing the SIP recommendation.

Next meeting

We will provide our next NPWS Industrial Bulletin after our next sustainability meeting scheduled for 5 May 2016.

What can I do?

The PSA encourages you to engage with your fellow colleagues and emphasise the importance of building a strong and robust workplace to defend against attacks on your hard-fought conditions entitlements.

Speak to your colleagues and if they are not members, encourage them to join – the best way to protect your conditions is by becoming a member

Post this IB on your PSA notice board

Please contact us with your view on how we can better represent you and your fellow members.

Your PSA delegates

For more information on the Sustainability and award meetings, please contact our OEH and NPWS POVB PSA delegates:

Martin Smith (Far North Coast)
[email protected]

Peter Clark (North Coast)
[email protected]

Ann Walton (New England)
[email protected]

John Holcombe (Far West)
[email protected]

Kim De Govrik (Blue Mountains)
[email protected]

Trish Swain (Fitzroy Falls)
[email protected]

Anita Zubovic (Syney Metro)
[email protected]

Ben Owers (SW Sydney)
[email protected]

Raf Pedroza (SW Sydney)
[email protected]

Jennifer Bean (Illawarra)
[email protected]

Steve Carter (Kosciuszko)
[email protected]

Alex Deura (South Coast)
[email protected]

George Malolakis (Far South Coast)
[email protected]

Union vows to fight cuts to NSW National Parks staff and ranger pay

ABC News – 18 March 2016

The union representing New South Wales national parks rangers has vowed to fight any reduction in ranger numbers in the state’s nature reserves.

Read the online story HERE

Download the PDF version HERE

Office of Environment & Heritage – NPWS Award negotiations – Bulletin No. 2

NPWS Award Negotiations Bulletin No. 2 – 24 March 2016 (PDF version)

NPWS POVB met Wednesday 23 March 2016 at PSA House to discuss the department’s proposed award log of claims and the concerns members have raised in relation to the proposals by OEH and NPWS to reduce conditions.

The PSA’s Assistant General Secretary, Steve Turner, attended the meeting and reaffirmed that the current award expires on 30 June 2016. However, it will continue to exist until such time as a new award or agreement is made to replace it.

Steve Turner advised delegates the PSA is well placed to defend your hard-fought conditions of employment and your rights at work. He reiterated the commitment by General Secretary Anne Gardiner that the PSA has a great record in defending our conditions in the past, and we again will fight any proposal that aims to diminish and weaken the NPWS Award or proposes to cut staff in this savings process.

The PSA believes significant savings have already been made as members have, for some time, been doing more with less and continue to provide substantial value for money to the agency.

Delegates and the PSA strongly encourage all members to show OEH and NPWS you care about your award conditions by forwarding all award negotiation questions and comments, such as your concerns or views, directly to NPWS on [email protected]. The PSA gives a commitment to ensure members are kept up to date with negotiations through regular communication.

We encourage members to speak to your colleagues about this important issue and ask non-members to join the PSA and help fight to protect what we have. We encourage members to discuss the importance and value of PSA membership in times of such uncertainty and challenge. Any staff wishing to join the PSA can get full information at .www.psa.asn.au or Latu Sailosi at [email protected].

NPWS POVB delegates and PSA industrial staff appreciate your ongoing support and we will continue to work on your behalf to fight against proposed cuts to salary and conditions by OEH.

Office of Environment and Heritage award negotiation bulletin

Office of Environment and Heritage award negotiations bulletin – March 2016 (PDF version)

As you are aware, the Department of Office Environment Heritage forwarded a letter regarding proposed changes to the Awards to all Parks and Wildlife staff.

The PSA also received a letter re Log of Claims – Crown Employees (Office of Environment and Heritage Parks and Wildlife group) Conditions of Employment.

The Department has not provided any detail to the PSA in relation to the ratification of Parks and Wildlife hard-fought award conditions.

The PSA is extremely disappointed with the Department for sending out a letter regarding proposed changes to awards prior to any consultation with the PSA in relation to their log of claims. Any award variation has to be by consent.

The PSA will not meet with OEH in relation to the outrageous award log of claims until such time that the PSA has met with delegates.

The PSA’s position is and always has been to preserve the award conditions of our members. The PSA will continue to fight for our members to maintain their award conditions.

PSA General Secretary, Anne Gardiner, has given a commitment that the PSA will strongly defend all conditions of employment Parks and Wildlife currently enjoy.

The PSA encourages members to provide feedback to the PSA and delegates in relation to the OEH proposed log of claims.

The PSA encourages you to engage members and emphasise the importance of building a strong and robust workplace to challenge this attack on your hard-fought entitlements.

If your colleagues are not members, encourage them to join. The stronger we are, the better we can protect our conditions.

Office Environment& Heritage Parks & Wildlife POVB delegates

Peter Clark

[email protected]

Kim DeGovrik

[email protected]

John Holcombe

[email protected]

Trish Swain

[email protected]

Ben Owers

[email protected]

Ann Walton

[email protected]

Judith Greenwood

[email protected]

Jennifer Bean

[email protected]

George Malolakis

[email protected]

Alex Deura

[email protected]

Proposed variation to Office of Environment & Heritage – National Parks & Wildlife Service Conditions Award

NPWS bulletin re proposed award variation – 15 Jan 2016 (PDF version)

The PSA and delegates have been attending meetings with the Department for a number of months on the sustainability of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) in NSW.

At the last meeting on 10 December, the Department notified the PSA of their intention to apply for an award variation as early as February 2016.

If the Department is successful in their application, the following proposals may impact on Rangers and Field Officers:

The removal of the 17% weekend loading
Weekend loading to only apply to staff rostered to work the weekend
The Department will determine which National Parks/ Reserves will require a weekend presence and which classification of staff will work.

The PSA is determined to fight the proposed variations. We do not believe that any change to the award, which reduces members conditions, is necessary or fair.

The PSA has written to the Department to inform them that we are opposed to the variation that they are seeking and that in either case discussion should not take place until the end of the current fire season.

How can you help?

Contact your delegate to register your support for the PSA’s push against the Department’s mean spirited proposal.

Please contact:

Kim De Govrik at [email protected]

Peter Clark at [email protected]

Environment Protection Authority Overtime

Environment Protection Authority Overtime bulletin – December 2015 (PDF version)

On 21 October 2015, the PSA met with EPA/OEH to discuss the correct interpretation of overtime pursuant to the Crown Employees (Public Service Conditions of Employment) Award Clause 88.3.

Although the issue has been championed by PSA members at the Newcastle Offices of EPA and OEH, the matter has state wide implications not just for EPA and OEH but all PSA members with similar overtime award provisions.

At the meeting, it was agreed by the parties that an exchange of letters would occur. The letters were to outline what both parties considered to be the correct interpretation of the overtime provisions in the award.

In a letter dated 5 November, the PSA formally wrote to the Office of Environment and Heritage providing the Association’s interpretation as agreed. Read that letter HERE.

If there is no agreement between the parties, a remedy will be sought in the Industrial Relations Commission of NSW. To date the Department has not provided a response.

Until the matter is resolved, the PSA reiterates that any direction to work more than 7 hours per day is overtime and must be paid at the appropriate rates.

If the direction to work overtime is unclear, the PSA recommends that clarification is sought in writing prior to commencing the duties.

The employee may elect to either be paid at overtime rates or take time in lieu.

If a staff member choses to work in excess of 7 hours within their bandwidth it is not overtime but will however add to flex leave as per award provisions.

The PSA also reminds members that approval to undertake overtime must be gained prior to the work being completed or the work will be paid at standard hourly rates.

A further update will be provided when the PSA receives the Department’s response to our correspondence.

Environment Protection Authority bulletin – Installation of cameras in work vehicles

EPA bulletin – Installation of cameras in work vehicles – 14 Oct 2015 (PDF version)

In May 2015, the PSA was notified Hunter Region EPA was going to install dashboard cameras in EPA work vehicles.

The Office of Environment and Heritage informed the PSA the reasoning was twofold:

Health and safety of staff
The ability to record evidence of breaches of legislation to assist with prosecutions.

The PSA requested a copy of the policies and procedures for the use of the cameras.

OEH responded the EPA had not developed these documents, but required them to do so prior to use of the cameras by staff.

In September, OEH contacted the PSA stating the EPA was installing the cameras the following week.

The PSA was also provided the procedures for the use of the cameras. Further, the OEH reported the policy had not been developed. The PSA requested a communique be sent to EPA staff stating they did not need to use the cameras until the relevant policy was developed and consultation had taken place.

It is the understanding of the PSA that a communique was issued, but that it stated EPA staff were not required to use the cameras if they did not wish to.

Without a policy and procedure there are no real protections against allegations of misuse such as:

Storage of evidence
Breaches of privacy.

It is the strong recommendation of the PSA that staff at EPA do not use the dashboard cameras until the policies and procedures are developed, consulted and agreed to by the PSA and delegates.

Office of Environment & Heritage – Defined benefit Superannuation Schemes

Office of Environment and Heritage – Superannuation – 24 July 2015 (PDF version)

The PSA has been engaged in discussion with the Office of Environment and Heritage in regards to Guaranteed Employer Superannuation Contributions during a declared incident.

The Department sought independent advice from Deloittes Australia who informed OEH that they do not need to provide any further contributions during a declared incident. However, they have stated that if the PSA could provide advice to the contrary they would alter their position.

With this in mind, the PSA wrote a submission to the Australian Taxation Office seeking a ruling. Our submission included award clauses and the ATO’s own reference SGR 2009/2.

The legal department of the ATO promptly contacted the PSA. However, they advised the PSA they could not release information to the union.

Therefore, PSA members in a Defined Benefits Superannuation Scheme such as SSS or SASS need to formally lodge a request with the ATO.

Due to the specific nature of the information required by the Australian Taxation Office please contact Steve Caslick, Industrial Advocate at the PSA at [email protected] who will provide the necessary information for your ATO submission.

Jenolan Caves Industrial Bulletin on the Jenolan Caves Award – 12 June 2015

Jenolan Caves members industrial bulletin – 12 June 2015 (PDF version)

Thank you for attending the meeting on 3 June in regards to the new Jenolan Caves Reserve Trust Award. It was great to see so many people, particularly on a day that even locals said was cold.

Understandably, award changes create concern so I hope the PSA and Office of Environment and Heritage were able to explain why these were necessary.

The three most important points to take from the meeting were:

There are no changes to the role or conditions of Cave Guides;
The changes to the award are to include Caves House staff, as their Hospitality Award will be rescinded this year;
There is an award working party consisting of Gordon Mills and Anne Musser from Jenolan Caves and myself from the PSA. Please provide your feedback and ideas to the working party for consideration.

I plan on visiting Jenolan for members’ meetings on the afternoon of the 23 June and the morning of 24 June to further discuss the award. Please set that time aside as your input and experience are invaluable.

If you have any questions please email Steve Caslick at [email protected].

Environment Protection Authority – know your conditions of employment

Environment Protection Authority bulletin – know your conditions of employment – 16 April 2015 (PDF version)

Information for PSA Members

Members should be aware there are two Awards which apply to EPA staff:

the Crown Employees (Public Service Conditions of Employment) Reviewed Award 2009 (the Crown Award)

the Crown Employees (Office of Environment and Heritage and the Office of Environment Protection Authority) General Award (the OEH and EPA Award).

The PSA understands that members may have concern over the application of certain clauses within the Awards – Overtime, Flextime, and Excess Travel.

Overtime is contained in Clause 88 of the Crown Award
Flextime within Clause 9 of the OEH and EPA Award
Excess Travel within Clause 11 of the OEH and EPA Award

Access these clauses by following the above links.

If you are not satisfied that you are receiving your proper Award entitlement you should bring it to the attention of your Supervisor/HR in the first instance and, if unsatisfied with the response, then call the Member Support Centre: 1800 772 679.

NPWS members’ bulletin

National Parks and Wildlife Service bulletin 26 February 2015 (PDF version)

Volunteers and ongoing roles

In late December 2014, the PSA became aware that staff at the Jindabyne Visitors Centre had been informed that consideration was being given to volunteers undertaking some of the roles of paid staff.

A potential outcome of that plan is that the Department would reduce the number of paid positions and replace those staff with volunteers.

While the PSA and NPWS have strong consultative arrangements in place for any proposed changes that affect staff, consultation did not occur in this case.

The PSA immediately contacted OEH Employee Relations for the background to this change and the rationale for the move towards volunteers.

At the time, the Department was not able to provide an acceptable response but have recently contacted the PSA with the information requested.

The advice provided by OEH Employee Relations is that the decision to instigate a volunteer system was a local decision and not done in consultation with Employee Relations.

OEH ER has advised local managers that a volunteer proposal will not proceed until the appropriate consultation has taken place.

In addition, they have informed the PSA there is no plan to replace staff now or in the future with volunteers in visitor centres.

While the PSA acknowledges the value of volunteers the union will continue to ensure that our members’ positions are secure and appropriately recognised for the valuable work they do.

Maps of parks will be affected by new hunting law

Green: National Park land where hunting is specifically not allowed under the new laws
Orange: National Park land where hunting is allowed at the Ministers discretion.
Red: National Park land where hunting is expected to start in 2013

Member Support Centre 1800 772 679

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Office of Environment and Heritage National Parks and Wildlife Service Industrial bulletin No:3

Sustainability meeting #3

PSA response to the log of claims

Next meeting

What can I do?

Your PSA delegates

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